Saved from Myself
by Shoomy2003
Summary: What happens when Tohru finds a boy in a box with cat ears and decides to take him into her home? Rating may change later. Kyoru AU
1. Lost

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket. Actually, I really don't even own the beginning idea to this story either. I got a doujinshi made by a fan about Kyo and Tohru through a fanfic contest I won on Fruitygroup in Yahoo. Since I cannot read Japanese, I just looked at the pictures and got the gist of the story, and therefore got an idea for this story. I do, however, like to crochet scarves and blankets… that's about all I can do to be honest when it comes to crocheting. I could make you a scarf like NONE OTHER.

Uhhh… I think Tohru might be a little OOC. I can't tell, really. She might seem stronger than she is in the manga, although in the latest chapters she's been extremely headstrong, especially when it comes to Rin…

Song to listen to while reading this chapter: Aqualung, "Brighter than Sunshine"

Hopefully, you all like this one as much as my others. Enjoy!

* * *

Tohru glanced back and waved to the security guard sitting at the front desk of her work-place as she stepped through the clear glass doors to the outside. He smiled back and then turned his attention to the monitor in front of him, where she knew he was changing it from the camera shots of the building to late night television. 

Propping open her pale blue umbrella, she stepped out from underneath the protective overhang and allowed the coolness of the night and soft rain refresh her senses from the dulling work of cleaning offices every night for money to get her through school.

Resigned, Tohru sighed. There was no use thinking about how much homework she still had to do from earlier today. It was already well past nine o'clock; her small apartment was still a good forty-five minute walk from where she currently was at.

A brisk pace was what she needed. _Yes, stay positive_.

Walking, she couldn't help but think back on the past four months of her life. Everything had changed so quickly that she had had next to no time to mourn. Her mother had died in a car accident. Her grandfather had passed on soon after. Her cousins moved away after receiving the inheritance promised to them from her grandfather, giving her no choice but to use what money her mother had left, plus the inheritance given from her grandfather, to get a small apartment; the one she had shared with her mother was too much for such a small income as hers.

A job was a necessity that she could not forsake.

Tohru looked up, startled from her thoughts. Looking around, she realized that she had no idea where she was standing.

_How… could this be? I walk this way so often…_

The rain pattered softly on her umbrella, and a tiny wind blew rain against her already soaked legs.

Panic rose within her chest; tears pricked behind her eyes, stinging.

Tohru put her hand to her chest, trying to calm herself as much as humanly possibly. Gripping the umbrella tightly, she took in small breaths of the cool night air.

Scanning the area quickly, she saw that the sidewalk she was currently on led her straight to a set of concrete, white stairs. A small light illuminated the top of the stairs, calling to Tohru like a beacon, quite literally, in the night.

Tucking herself to be as small as possible, Tohru set off quickly for the stairs in front of her. The closer she got to the light, the more paranoid she became about her surroundings, darting her eyes from side to side seeing things in the shifting, rainy shadows. When she got to the stairs, it seemed as if the adrenaline that had been pumping through her veins and propelling her was suddenly depleted.

She felt safe in the light of the stairs; even though she knew it was irrational to feel such.

Sighing deeply, Tohru put a hand to her heart yet again to attempt to calm herself.

A laugh escaped from her mouth. A nervous laugh, not one of mirth.

Taking her hand away from her heart, Tohru placed it onto the slippery wet railing of the cement staircase, thankful to feel the sharp cold of the metal and rain mixed together.

Using the rail as a helper, Tohru slowly made her way up the short stack of stairs, her heart still hammering in her chest with nervous anticipation. As she stepped onto the top stair, Tohru lifted her eyes from her feet to survey what the wonderful light illuminated.

A large squat object sat under the light, midway from where she was standing to the other end of the walkway.

Tohru's anxiety melted into cautious curiosity. She slowly stepped away from the stairs and made her way to the middle of the walkway.

Time seemed sluggish; the rain seemed to hush all noises but her beating heart and shortened breath.

It was a brown box. A very large, squat brown box.

Tohru's curiosity peaked. She continued to walk towards the box sitting in the middle under the light.

The light seemed too bright after the darkness she had just been running in. The reflection from the rain and the white concrete only made it seem more so. The brown from the box was welcoming in all of this overwhelming brightness.

A splash of crimson peeked over the box's lid.

_What… a pretty color_…

The rain fell in large drops from the overhanging light, making odd splotching sounds as it hit the white concrete between the normal sounds of soft rain.

Tohru stopped short, staring into dark crimson eyes.

A boy was sitting in the box.

Posted October 28, 2005


	2. Home

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket. I do own quite a few scarves that I've crocheted. I'm such a freaking old lady…with a rockin' scarf collection. Jealous much?

Again with the Aqualung, "Brighter than Sunshine" due to continuation from last chapter.

* * *

Tohru blinked, her jaw going slack as she stared into eyes of such shocking color that she couldn't break away her gape. He stared back at her, not seeming able to break his gaze from hers as well; he seemed forlorn and lost. 

_Such…a pretty display… of sadness…_

He needed her.

Tohru dropped the umbrella and started towards him. The rain didn't matter any longer.

"Please… are you okay?" she asked, leaning over the box.

The boy with the cat ears stared at her. His beautiful, wet face was upturned to look into hers openly, his matching eyes and hair a deep contrast to the pale pallor of his skin tone.

Tohru's heart clenched in her chest, twisting painfully at the sad look etched into his face.

"Are you lost, too?" Tohru whispered, feeling the duality of the question.

The rain fell between them in a light sheen. A drop of water meshed a clump of his eyelashes together.

_Beautiful_.

The boy with the cat ears didn't make a motion, but the emotion that flickered in his eyes briefly let her know the truth.

Tohru, without hesitation, held out her hand. "Please. Come home with me. I can help you."

The boy, with his stunning pale face and sad eyes, stared at her for a moment before slowly reaching up and placing his hand in hers. Tohru felt tears prick at her eyes at the contact; he was cold and wet.

He stood within the box. Tohru couldn't tear her eyes away from him. He was a good two heads taller than she was, his clothing wet and sticking to his thin frame. A black shirt and khaki pants seemed to be the only things in his possession; no shoes or socks adorned his feet.

"Come, I can help you," Tohru repeated, coaxing gently, leading him out of the box. She stepped backwards, tugging on his hand gently. The boy stepped one foot out over the other, his crimson cat ears relaxing to the sides as he left the lonely confines of the brown box.

Tohru broke contact from his eyes for a mere moment to bend down and retrieve her dropped umbrella. She immediately placed it over his head, shielding him from the falling sheen of rain.

As she turned to look up at him, Tohru paused. She suddenly experienced an epiphany: she still had no idea where she was at.

An embarrassed blush spread across her cheeks prettily.

Turning to him finally, she found the boy gazing down at her, his intense stare making her blush even more. His sweet little cat ears were twisted to the side; being wet most certainly did not make him happy.

Tohru smiled up at him. "I'm a little lost myself, to be honest. I'm just going to back track and hope to find my way home. I mean, _our_ way home since you're coming with me."

Looking into his eyes, an emotion flickered across crimson depths and Tohru knew he was grateful to be going to a place called home without him having to say a word.

_Actually_, Tohru thought to herself, _I'm pretty grateful myself…_

Taking his hand while holding the umbrella in the other, Tohru guided him away from the bright walkway and into the night.

* * *

"Home, sweet, home!" Tohru sang, relieved to finally be turning the key into the lock of her apartment and opening the door. 

During the walk home she had chattered away, the boy with the crimson cat ears not uttering a word but rather listening silently. She held his hand the whole way, for reassurance that it wasn't a dream, and to warm him a little, even if it was just a small and insignificant part of his body. The walk seemed long and short at the same time, and she could only remember bits and pieces of the scenery.

At least she found her way home. That's all that mattered.

Tohru paused at the threshold and led him inside, leaving the umbrella closed and outside to dry on its own time.

As she closed the door, Tohru turned to find the boy staring at her apartment in feigned disinterest.

_Isn't that just like a cat_, Tohru thought amusedly._ Acting like something didn't interest them when in reality they are bursting with curiosity._

A chill crept its way up her spine causing goosebumps to alight upon her skin, and Tohru remembered how soaked the both of them were.

"Uhh…"

The boy turned to look at her. A blush seeped into her cheeks.

"Would you like to take a bath?"

The cat ears on the top of his head flattened back, and a bland emotion filled his eyes.

"I-it's just t-that… well, you're soaked with cold rainwater. I-I thought… a warm bath would make you feel better?" Tohru stammered out. She seemed unable to lift her eyes to his, so she stared at his black shirt instead.

Silence filled the room, and Tohru poked her two pointer fingers together in a nervous habit. As she was about to speak, a hand reached out and placed itself on her shoulder.

Tohru's face shot up. She gaped at the boy in front of her.

He smiled down at her gently.

A warm sensation flew into Tohru's stomach and her cheeks burned.

_He's so…_

Tohru's eyes widened and a bubble of laughter leapt from her throat. "Oh! I can show you how to use the bath and then prepare a bed for you. Are you hungry?"

The boy shook his head that, no, he was not hungry, and so Tohru walked past him and showed him how to use her bath. He stood there and understood her instructions without ever having to say a word.

After she closed the bathroom door behind her, Tohru felt her heart nearly burst from happiness.

Clutching her hands to her heart, Tohru couldn't help but think to herself, _Perhaps getting lost was the best thing that could have happened to me today._

Tohru was brought from her thoughts as the water came on, and she smiled. Going to her closet, she brought out an extra set of sheets and blanket, took a pillow from her own bed, and set up a small area near her where her new companion could sleep… not that it couldn't be helped that his bed would be close to hers; her apartment was as small as they came. The whole time she was setting up the bed, she was smiling.

Tohru looked at the picture of her mother that was propped up next to her bed.

_Mom, I haven't felt this happy in a long while._

Humming to herself, Tohru changed out of her own wet clothing and towel dried her hair and body. As she finished dressing herself into night clothes, she heard the bathroom door open as the boy stepped out.

Tohru turned to him, smiling, when she suddenly turned beet red and whirled back around.

"Y-y-y-you ar-aren't wearing any c-c-clothing!" Tohru cried out, throwing her hands to her face.

Well, it wasn't exactly true. He was wearing the small towel she had given him to dry off with, but it barely covered the area that marked him as a male.

Tohru propelled herself forward, gathering up as many large shirts and shorts that she owned and tossing them in his direction.

Bowing, Tohru hid her face humbly. "I-I'm so sorry! I don't have anything for you to wear that is suitable. Please forgive me and make do with what I have for now."

A momentary rustle was the only response that Tohru received. Chancing a glance once the rustling stopped, Tohru looked to find a most amusing sight.

The boy was wearing a shirt that seemed strained at the seams, the fabric pulling tightly across his chest and stomach. A pair of shorts that she usually wore to clean in were strained at his thin hips; they hardly covered his lower regions and looked very uncomfortable.

The boy stood in front of her, a grimace on his face letting Tohru know how uncomfortable the shorts _really_ were.

Tohru smiled kindly; apologetic. "I've made you a bed to sleep in tonight."

The boy lay into it gratefully, a tired sigh escaping his lips being the first sound she'd heard from him since stumbling upon him in the box.

As she turned out the lights, set her alarm (_almost midnight!)_, and cuddled under her own bed sheets, Tohru called out happily, "Goodnight!"

Silence filled the room as Tohru relaxed into the warmth of her bed. As she drifted in and out of her thoughts sleepily, a warm, masculine voice uttered a word that seemed very foreign to Tohru.

"Kyo."

Tohru's consciousness shot her awake, and Tohru blinked a few times from the shock of hearing the voice.

"Eh?"

Silence reigned again.

_Perhaps I had been dre—_

"My name… it's Kyo."

Tohru's eyes shot open wide. A warm smile lit her features, and Tohru closed her eyes. Sleepiness made her dizzy, and Tohru succumbed to her fatigue.

"Goodnight, Kyo."

Posted October 29, 2005


	3. Morning

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket. I have a friend who has the last name of Dill… and he _loves_ pickles. True story.

I've had a few responses say something about the manga/anime called "Kimi Wa Petto". I had honestly never heard of it or its plot until my first reviewer mentioned it. One told me in a private email that it might be coming out into English sometime soon, so if you like this story perhaps you could check that manga/anime out as well.

Thanks to all my reviewers, by the way. If not for you, this would _soooo_ not be continued.

Songs to listen to for this chapter: Aqualung, "Left Behind"

* * *

"_But who would want you? You're nothing but a beast; unnatural, like the rest."_

Kyo opened his eyes, disoriented and dazed and breathing heavily. The bright sunlight shone down on his face, making his skin warm and wet with sweat. Kyo shifted until the sunlight was no longer affecting him.

He had dreamt about _her_. He had dreamt about the words she had last said; hearing those words over and over again like a poison being injected slowly until he finally awoke, numb. If only he could have remained numb to her all together…

A stabbing pain in his groin reminded him that he was no longer numb to the world, and in an act of desperation Kyo shimmied out of the tiny shorts under the covers. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as the throbbing went away, but his stomach was beginning to feel a little nauseous from the sudden pinch attack.

Kyo grimaced in pain and aggravation.

_Damned tiny shorts_!

Kyo, in an act of anger, balled the intensely short shorts in his hand and threw them across the room. They fell in a muffled thud next to the front door.

Lying half-naked in a bed made by a girl he didn't even know made Kyo feel…

_What…can I feel? _

He chanced a small look over at his sleeping companion.

Kyo closed his eyes.

_I have no right to this._

A pressure in his abdomen reminded him of his natural duties. Kyo was all too happy to get out of the intense morning sunlight shining partially onto his bed and into the cool darkness of the bathroom.

Glancing over at the girl sleeping less than four feet away from him, Kyo bundled the covers around his midsection and got up to go to the bathroom.

As he stood up and started to slowly creep across the room, Kyo took one more glance back to make sure she wasn't awake and watching, when the girl started to move. Kyo stopped like a deer caught in headlights; his ears shot straight up and then back, plastering themselves to his head in an unconscious attempt to make him invisible.

He watched as the girl stretched slightly and then snuggled deeper into her covers, muttering something under her breath that not even his cat ears could pick up. When she stilled herself and didn't move an inch more, Kyo relaxed his stance.

Watching her, Kyo felt his eyes take in her essence: her long brown hair, her black eyelashes splayed against her skin, the slight pink to her cheeks from being too warm, her lips that were partly open….

_So…_

Kyo caught himself before he could stare any further. With sorrowful eyes, he took one last glance at the girl who had freed him, and turned to walk into the bathroom.

* * *

Kyo stepped out of the bathroom, his clothes from the night before now draped comfortably on his body. He balled up the blanket he had used to hide his naked parts and held it with one arm to his side.

The room was infinitely brighter than it had been when he had stepped into the bathroom, and a slight breeze was pushing stray strands of hair into his eyes. After he pushed the hairs aside, his eyes were accosted with the most indescribable moment he had ever seen.

The girl had her arms crossed in front of her on the window pane, half of her body hanging out of the window, her stomach on the bottom of the window pane. The sun was shining so brightly onto the girl that he had to squint to see her, and what he did see took all coherent thoughts straight out of his mind.

Her white shirt and light brown hair billowed lightly in the wind. The contented look on her face seemed to shine brighter than the sun that was caressing her skin.

_So…_

The girl turned around, surprise echoing off of her in waves.

A huge smile lit up her face, her eyes widening as she stared at him, and Kyo couldn't help the widening of his own eyes at such a beautiful display.

_Exquisite…_

Kyo turned his face away.

_I have no right._

The next thing he knew the girl was standing in front of him, her brown eyes peering up at him shyly, hands clasped behind her back.

"Good morning Kyo-kun! I hope that you slept well?"

Kyo frowned slightly. _Kyo…kun? She didn't say that last night._

The girl seemed to take his silence as a yes, took the blanket out his hands and turned to start folding up the beds; they took up too much room in the small apartment otherwise. As she did so, Kyo stood there dumbly, not knowing what to do.

The girl didn't seem to mind, however. She chattered incessantly the _whole_ time.

"I don't have a lot of money, so I might have to work extra so that we can get you some new clothes. I might have to get some more food too. You can have whatever there is to eat here!"

She folded up the blankets impeccably. The bedding was no exception.

"I go to school most of the day; I don't know if you do, but I promised someone I'd finish school, so here I am!"

There was a cabinet by the bathroom that she opened and gently placed the blankets and folded bedding.

As she closed the door to the closet, all movements stopped.

The girl turned and put her hands to her face, horror emanating from her facial expressions.

Kyo's ears shot up in alarm. He moved away slightly; self-preservation was a hard instinct to fight.

The girl held onto the wall to support her slight frame, her face still being held with one hand.

Kyo moved toward her, his hand outstretched…

"I… I can't believe… I… **_forgot to do my homework_**"

Kyo stopped.

_You… have _got_ to be kidding me…_

He hung his head, his ears drooping forward as he sagged slightly. Putting a hand to his face, Kyo tried to suppress his annoyance.

_She's freaking out... about homework? _

Straightening his sagging shoulders, Kyo turned to comfort the strange girl when he felt a burst of wind blow past him. Opening his eyes, he found that the girl was no longer desolate against the wall. Turning around, he found that she had zipped into school clothes, seemingly magically, and was now grabbing a small portfolio that seemed to hold her homework.

Kyo blushed crimson at the mere thought of her getting undressed with him in the room.

It was then that he realized that the girl had been ranting on about something the whole time, and he caught the tail-end of: "…she's going to be so upset with me if I get bad marks!"

Kyo frowned again. _Who is "she"?_

The girl whizzed past him, flung open the door, and was about to throw herself out the door when she paused.

The girl… turned to the side and picked up the shorts that he had thrown earlier that morning.

The girl blushed.

Kyo shot forward and grabbed the shorts from her hand.

The girl turned slowly and smiled at Kyo.

Kyo made an impassive face back at her.

"I hope you have a safe day. I'll be home as soon as possible."

Kyo stood without saying anything in reply. He was still embarrassed about her finding the shorts.

The girl smiled brightly at him. A surprised look suddenly flew across her features, and the girl stepped toward him unexpectedly.

Kyo's body reflexively leaned back when she leaned forward, her face not too far from his.

The smile seemed much…

_Prettier…_

The girl bonked herself on her forehead softly, giggling a little.

"I forgot to tell you my name this whole time! I'm Tohru Honda. I am very pleased to meet your acquaintance, Kyo-kun."

It seemed like in a flash, she had turned and walked toward the door again, leaving behind a very stunned and shell-shocked Kyo.

As her waving hand disappeared behind the closed door, Kyo couldn't help but think about of what she had just informed him.

_Tohru…_

Posted November 6, 2005.

Bugs worked out November 7, 2005.


	4. Emotions

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Fruits Basket. I do, however, own a terribly stuffy nose. Sometimes I wish that it would just fall off and a newer, better model would appear. I don't know if that would fix the stuffiness, but you just never know 'til it happens.

Yes, it has been over a month. That happens when finals time comes around and when dying from random winter illnesses. So it goes.

Song to listen to while reading: Rilo Kiley: "The Absence of God"

* * *

Kyo sat on the ground next to the dining table. It had been six hours and fifty minutes since that girl—_Tohru_—had left to go to school.

Not that he had a running count or anything.

Kyo also hadn't gone through all of the drawers and cupboards in the kitchen, bathroom, or pantry. Nor had he found Tohru's panties in the top drawer of a dresser and started blushing like crazy… while shifting through them to see what designs she liked.

Nope.

Kyo sighed for the umpteenth time in the past six hours and fifty-two minutes. It had been a long day. Laying his cheek into his hand, Kyo slouched while staring at the door.

_Why… couldn't she have bought a T.V.? Or a friggen radio or something…_

It was like going from one box to another.

His eyes unfocused as he began to mentally make a list of things she needed to have in her house to keep a guest not unbearably bored. Also known as _happy_.

The next thing he knew, he was being shaken awake by a gentle hand.

Opening his eyes, Kyo found the girl—_gah, Tohru—_kneeling not too far from his face. She smiled sadly and pulled her hand away.

"Kyo-kun… I'm so sorry," Tohru murmured, her brown eyes glancing at his for a moment before moving them onto something else. "I had to work right after school…"

Kyo looked out the nearest window and found it to be dark.

"What time is it?" he asked, his eyes staying on the darkness beyond the window.

Kyo saw Tohru flinch and make a face in his peripheral vision.

"Erm… around 9:45 p.m."

Kyo's eyes slid away from the window to look at the girl still kneeling in front of him. She looked paler than she had before she left this morning…

_Bright sunlight white shirt floating brown hair brilliant smile at him him him_

Kyo felt his heart twist a little and his stomach suddenly begin to flutter slightly. Tohru shifted slightly in front of him, blushing a little under his intense gaze.

Kyo's cat ears twisted slightly to the side and he turned his face toward the window he had been previously looking out.

Tohru suddenly started to life and she grabbed his hands. Kyo's face burned brightly at this sudden, unexpected contact and his face turned away from the window with a whip towards her.

_Brilliant smile at him him him_

"But! To make it up to you I bought some dinner for you! I hope you like salmon!" Tohru exclaimed, letting go of his hands to place a warmed brown sack into the space she occupied for a brief moment.

Kyo stared down at the package.

_She… thought of me…?_

Kyo looked up Tohru, her face showing no signs of wanting anything in return. A transitory feeling suddenly filled him—_fearhurtpainsuffering—_before it disappeared as though it existed in a past life…

_A past life…_

That was what he used to have before Tohru. And yet… it felt so wrong to feel that. Tohru would soon be a past life as well. His former master would…

Kyo pushed that thought from his mind with an angry thrust.

Kyo came back from his thoughts as he watched as Tohru stood and brushed off her knees. "I'll get you some water; the chopsticks came with the salmon."

When Tohru pattered back with a cool glass of water, Kyo looked up at a softly smiling Tohru.

"Would you like anything else, Kyo-kun?" she asked.

"A radio."

Tohru blinked down at Kyo for a moment before cocking her head to the side and intelligently asking, "Eh?"

Kyo ignored her for a moment as he opened the container housing the salmon; it smelled so amazing that he was salivating.

"I just about gnawed off my left arm from being so bored today. A radio or T.V. would be nice," Kyo replied, stuffing a bite of the salmon into his mouth; how did he get to be so hungry?

Tohru was silent for a while before Kyo chanced a glance up at her. Kyo's blood suddenly turned to ice as he saw Tohru's eyes filled with unshed tears, her hands twisting at her waist in a painful manner.

Kyo's ears lay back in shame and was about to open his mouth to apologize when Tohru suddenly sniffed out, "I-I… can't afford a T.V. or radio right now because I was-was going to get you some clothes to wear besides what you're wearing right now… and-and I bought some pajama bottoms after school today for you so that you didn't have to wear my tiny shorts again and-and—"

Kyo's ears drooped miserably; how could he have made her _cry?_

"Oy. Tohru," Kyo said, loud enough to get her attention without sounding too harsh.

Tohru looked down at him with water-filled eyes and tracked cheeks, her nose sniffing sadly. Kyo waved for her to sit down with him and Tohru silently complied.

It took Kyo a minute before he could get it out, and he couldn't look at her as he muttered softly, "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to say it like that. I'll… live without a T.V. Just… please… will you stop crying?"

When Kyo glanced over at Tohru, she was nodding fervently, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand while sniffling pathetically.

Kyo felt the guilt eat away at his soul.

Pushing the ends of his shirt over his hands, Kyo leaned forward and soaked up the tears that made their way down her cheeks before she could clean them up. Tohru's eyes widened and a pretty blush suddenly made its way to her cheeks. Kyo's face was almost as crimson as his hair, but he trudged on and cleaned up the tears that weren't there as well.

After Tohru's face and eyes were dried, Kyo retracted his sleeve-covered hand and stared at the dining table and at the cooling salmon.

"I'm… sorry."

Kyo looked over at Tohru, suppressing a scowl. "Why are you apologizing?"

Tohru shrugged slightly. "I didn't… mean to cry."

Kyo turned back to his salmon and put a piece into his mouth. "Sometimes it's okay."

In his peripheral vision, he saw Tohru's eyes widen then soften, and a small smile appeared before she looked away from him.

"Thank you."

He saw Tohru turn to him, surprised.

Kyo popped another piece of salmon into his mouth before muttering, "For dinner and for… the pajamas…"

Tohru smiled. "I didn't want you to be uncomfortable and throw my shorts at the door again."

Kyo inhaled and began to choke on the piece of salmon.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" Tohru cried out, her hands flying in a haphazard manner in the air around Kyo.

Kyo stopped choking and gulped down some water, gasping as he came up for air.

"Yeah," Kyo croaked out, clearing his throat as his face burned brightly.

_Those… damned… shorts…_

Kyo heard Tohru sigh in relief as she stood. "Oh good. I'm gonna get ready for bed and do a little homework before going to sleep."

Kyo nodded and began to eat the remainder a little slower. In what seemed like a second, Tohru had changed into a matching pajama set and was sitting at the table with Kyo, a book in hand.

Kyo blinked. _How…does she change so damned fast?_

A clear plastic package entered his view as Tohru pushed something shyly across the table.

"Here are your pajamas. I know they aren't much, but hopefully you don't mind them too much. Tomorrow since I don't have school, we'll go shopping before I go to work." Tohru said, smiling.

Kyo stared at the pajamas—they were a nice brick red coloring—before turning back to Tohru. "Do you work every day?"

Tohru smiled sadly over at Kyo. "I have to. I get every other Sunday off so that I don't go over 60 hours every two weeks."

What Kyo didn't hear was…_now that you're here…_

He knew he was an undue burden on this girl… why was she helping him?

Glancing up at Tohru as he ate the last piece of the wonderful meal he had been brought, he noticed her forehead furrowed in concentration as she read the homework for next week.

_I… don't get it._

Kyo picked up his plate and glass to clean up and put away. When he was finished, he turned back to Tohru to find her passed out on top of her textbook; the gentle rise and fall of her chest let Kyo know that she was indeed asleep.

Kyo was silently glad that he had gone through the contents of the closet today; he now knew where she kept everything for the bedding. As he set up her bed where he had seen it that morning, Kyo thought back on the exchange and sudden change in emotions that he had seen Tohru have in the span of an hour—smiling, crying, smiling, worried, relieved, sleeping; it was almost too much for any male to handle.

Smoothing out the sheet and blanket, Kyo looked over at the sleeping girl.

They were going to spend the most part of the day together. He didn't care what they would be doing… as long as she smiled at him…

"Hey… Tohru…" Kyo murmured softly while shaking her shoulder.

Tohru's eyes gently opened; lifting her head, unfocused eyes peered heavily at Kyo.

"Kyo…kun?"

Kyo smiled slightly. "Yeah… it's time for bed."

Tohru muttered something incoherent, glanced down at her textbook, and slowly crawled over to the bed Kyo had fixed-up for her. Tohru sighed softly as she settled beneath the covers, and soon fell asleep.

Kyo shook his head. Brushing a hand through his hair, Kyo turned and went through his nightly routine of washing up and brushing his teeth before opening the package that contained his pajamas.

Slipping them on, Kyo then made his own bed. Turning out the overhead light, Kyo burrowed under the covers before sneaking a glance over at the girl not even five feet from his own bed.

She was facing away from him, her breaths coming deep and even.

Sighing, Kyo closed his eyes.

_I don't deserve all of this._

Tucking that thought away, Kyo fell asleep.

Posted December 13, 2005


End file.
